BETHESDA, MD — As we approach World Veterinary Day (April 24), Alley Cat Allies reminds veterinarians and vet technicians to visit the feral cat online resource center (www.alleycat.org/Veterinarian), which offers a wealth of multimedia tools for members of the veterinary community on feral cat health and behavior, as well as veterinary protocol for Trap- Neuter-Return and other clinical information about treating feral cats.

“The support of the veterinary community is essential to the success of humane, effective community programs for feral cats. Veterinary offices are often the first place caring individuals turn to with questions, and of course, the participation of vet offices and clinics are fundamental to Trap-Neuter-Return,” said Becky Robinson, president of Alley Cat Allies.

“In the past, there has been a lack of practical information for veterinarians on feral cats,” she said. “As the stray and feral cat experts, we hope to fill this void by providing useful and credible information to the vet community.”

Feral Cat Health: Scientific articles on a range of health topics, including rabies and FIV/FeLV;

Feral Cat Behavior: Articles, videos, and illustrations on distinguishing a truly feral cat from a frightened owned or stray cat, by experts in feline behavior;

Feral Cat Veterinary Protocol: Resources and articles on early age spay/neuter; video demonstrations of high-volume spay/neuter techniques; and protocols for testing, vaccination, and ear-tipping feral cats;

Trap-Neuter-Return: Comprehensive resources, including information about the effectiveness of Trap-Neuter-Return programs, also known as TNR, for feral cat colonies, to assist the veterinary community in further understanding TNR, and how they can contribute to its success; and

The Feral Cat Population: Access to peer-reviewed research on cat populations and spay/neuter status.

Robinson noted that Alley Cat Allies has nearly 20 years of experience with feral cats and Trap- Neuter-Return. Its scientific board is comprised of some of the nation’s top feral cat veterinarians. Alley Cat Allies was the first organization to introduce Trap-Neuter-Return in the U.S. and the first to establish the best-practice standards for the program. It has also conducted high-volume neuter clinics for 15 years in the Washington, DC region, and hosted “wet labs” to train veterinarians on medical protocol for stray and feral cats.

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About Alley Cat Allies Alley Cat Allies is the nation’s leading advocate for stray and feral cats. Their website is www.alleycat.org.